oldiers were drilled on deck till Nic pretty
well knew the ordinary routine, and Lieutenant Lance laughingly asked
him if he would like to take command. The convicts came up morning by
morning and had their exercise in the old monotonous way; and Nic went
round with the doctor to see the men in their quarters and visit
patients. But there was no rising or mutiny, nothing to break the even
course of the voyage but a little tossing among the huge waves that came
rolling from the south-west, threatening to engulf the ship, but only
dived beneath it, raising it upon a rolling bill, and then gliding
onward to give room to the next. Nic saw the albatross till he was
tired of watching its gliding flight. He fished and had very bad
fortune, but better when he joined in with the sailors, who
good-humouredly made room for him to help haul after they had hooked a
shark, drawn the fierce fellow alongside, sent a loop down over its head
right to the narrow part in front of the tail, and so got a double hold.

Then came the evening when all was excitement, for the skipper announced
at supper that in all probability they would see land next morning, and
a thrill ran through every breast.

He was correct: land was in sight at daybreak, and Nic was standing on
deck to see it, hardly willing to be dragged away to breakfast, and back
again with Lady O'Hara and the officers, all eager after their long,
long voyage--for ships did not reach Australia in less than six weeks in
the days of King George the Third--to see the land that was to be their
home for many months, in some cases years, to come.

That afternoon they sailed out of the rough water between the great
headlands into the lake-like expanse of the glorious harbour; and before
long, after signalling, boats were seen approaching, their white sails
glistening in the clear air.

"Smell, Nic," said Lady O'Hara, "home at last, boy! What do you think
of the sunny land?"

"Think?" cried Nic huskily--"it is glorious! I never saw the sky so
blue, the land so green, and everything so beautiful. But pray, pray
don't talk to me. I want to try and make out whether my father is in
any of those boats."

"I should say yes: in that," said Lady O'Hara, who spoke in a deep,
subdued voice.

"Which--which?" cried Nic.

"That one, with the union jack at the stern."

"What, with the men in white?"

"Yes; it is the boat from the man-o'-war yonder. The governor is in it,
please God; a